LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 2/07

Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5,1-12. When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Releases. Reports & Opinions
Editorial: US diplomacy without illusions.Middle East Times. November 1/07
By all means, defend Arab women - but keep the priorities in order.The Daily Star. November 1/07
From payer to player in the Middle East.By El - Hassan Bin Talal. November 1/07
Arab paper: 'Extremism,' 'violence' to follow Iraq pullout.'Would be taken over by Iran and Syria, which are seeking to dominate' region.WorldNetDaily.com. November 1/07
No Longer What They Proclaim To Be .Incompetance and iniquitous incarnate. commonconservative.com.November 1/07

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 1/07
Hariri, Aoun Overcome Misunderstandings, Narrow Gap-Naharnet
Syrian Source Attacks Hariri-Naharnet
Israel pleased with UN report on Lebanon.Jerusalem Post
Lebanon: Israel is violating 1707.Jerusalem Post
UN defines exact area covered by Shaba Farms for first time.Ha'aretz
Syria denies plotting assassination of Lebanese leadership.Xinhua
EU politician: No peace without Syria.Jerusalem Post
US Falls Short of Iraqi Refugees Goal.The Associated Press
Israel Says Hezbollah Can Hit Tel Aviv.The Associated Press
Hezbollah calls for officers' release.PRESS TV
Jordan-Germany Call for Lebanon "National Reconciliation".Naharnet
Hariri-Aoun had 'Good" Talks in Paris, but Presidential Candidates were Not Considered-Naharnet
Jumblat Warns Against 'Neutralizing' Army if Serail was Invaded-Naharnet
Saniora Aware of Syrian Assassination Plot-Naharnet
Syria Challenges Hariri-Naharnet
Jordan-Germany Call for Lebanon 'National Reconciliation"-Naharnet
Ban for Election of Lebanese President Without Foreign Intervention-Naharnet
Letter from the Hizbullah-led Opposition To Putin-Naharnet
Army Commander Not a Presidential Candidate-Naharnet
Mottaki Postpones Beirut Visit-Naharnet
Aoun and Hariri try to break Beirut logjam with Paris talks-Daily Star
Nasrallah backs release of former security chiefs after meeting lawyers-Daily Star
Army finds bodies of two Fatah al-Islam militants under Nahr al-Bared rubble (AFP)
US to go ahead with asset freeze of Lebanese figures-Daily Star
Rome and Brussels will stand by Lebanese - Italian envoy-Daily Star
Proposed changes to electoral law would level media playing field-Daily Star
Small blasts spread panic among residents of Sidon-Daily Star
Graziano decorates Portuguese troops for making contributions to peace-Daily Star
International Osteoporosis Foundation holds conference to raise awareness of bone disease-Daily Star
Amnesty International calls for probe into reports of looting, arson at battered camp-Daily Star
Two months after end of battle, Nahr al-Bared displaced still in limbo-Daily Star

Hariri, Aoun Overcome Misunderstandings, Narrow Gap
Two rounds of behind closed doors talks in Paris between parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement Chairman Michel Aoun have narrowed the gap separating their viewpoints and achieved progress in overcoming misunderstandings, but did not tackle presidential candidates.
A statement released by Hariri's press office said a third meeting is scheduled for Thursday.
The meetings were arranged in Paris to "avoid media pressure and security risks in Beirut," the statement explained.
It said the talks were characterized by "a high spirit of responsibility regarding the serious circumstances encountered by Lebanon at the political, security and economic levels."The talks, the statement added, "tackled at length the major issues projected in Lebanon, mainly whatever is related to setting up the free, independent and democratic state as well as facilitating presidential elections in line with the constitution and without foreign intervention."
It noted that "progress has been achieved in bringing viewpoints closer and overcoming lots of misunderstandings that marked the pervious era."
The talks were held amidst apparent close follow up by the United States and France.
Circles close to Hariri said the meetings with Aoun do not aim at reaching a parcel understanding on Lebanon's new president and premier, according to the daily as-Safir. The Hariri circles also stressed that the talks aim at providing the Bkirki initiative with additional momentum, so that choosing a new president would be a Christian privilege in the first place. A similar trend was outlined by MP Wael Abu Faour after delivering a message from Druze leader Walid Jumblat to Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki Wednesday. Abu Faour stressed that Bkirki is "the source" of the march to elect a new head of state that should climax in Parliament.
Prior to the Hariri-Aoun talks, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch met the Lebanese parliamentary majority leader and discussed "international and Arab efforts to facilitate the presidential elections."French envoy jean-Claude Cousseran also held separate meetings with Hariri and Aoun prior to the talks between the Lebanese leaders that are being held in Paris due to security concerns, according to statements issued by both officials.
Welch also held talks with Cousseran and other French officials. Meanwhile, U.S. Under Secretary of State for political affairs Nicholas Burns told the Hariri-sponsored Moustaqbal TV that Washington and Paris closely cooperate their policies on Lebanon and that their common view point is that "we don't want to see a return of Syria's influence" to Beirut.
The meeting in Paris followed charges by Hariri during a visit to Cairo that Syrian President Bashar Assad's brother-in-law and Chief of Syrian intelligence Assef Shawkat was planning to assassinate him and Premier Fouad Saniora, a Charge challenged by Damascus. Fears are running high in Beirut that the standoff between the pro- and anti-Syrian camps could lead to two rival governments, a grim reminder of the end of Lebanon's civil war when two administrations battled it out.
Hariri arrived in Paris late Tuesday after winding up talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Husni Mubarak that aimed at facilitating the election of a new president for Lebanon. Aoun arrived in Paris earlier on Tuesday. He was accompanied by MP Ghassan Mkhaiber of the Reform and Change Bloc.
Hariri said his talks with Mubarak focused on the presidential vote and "the interference of certain states to prevent the holding of these elections."Hariri said Mubarak stressed that meddling in Lebanese issues particularly that of the presidential election, is "forbidden." "Any meddling in this regard, be it in the presidential election or manipulation of Lebanon's stability, is considered a violation of Egypt's security and interference in Arab affairs," Hariri quoted Mubarak as telling him.
Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 09:32

Syrian Source Attacks Hariri
An official Syrian source accused Lebanese Parliamentary Majority leader Saad Hariri of trying to abort Egypt's efforts to settle the political impasse in Beirut.
Agence France Presse quoted the unidentified source as saying in a statement that Hariri's charge that Syrian intelligence chief Assef Shawkat, a brother-in-law of president Bashar Assad, is orchestrating a plot to assassinate him and Premier Fouad Saniora aims at "aborting the Egyptian effort" to settle the Lebanese political crisis. The Syrian source said Hariri made the charge to reporters after meeting Egyptian President Husni Mubarak following reports that Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Sleiman is to visit Syria to work for facilitating the Lebanese Presidential elections in line with a consensus approach. Beirut, 01 Nov 07, 11:36

Hariri-Aoun had "Good" Talks in Paris, but Presidential Candidates were Not Considered
Parliamentary Majority leader Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement chairman Michel Aoun concluded a first round of talks in Paris Wednesday without reviewing names of presidential candidates.
Aoun, emerging from the three-hour session, described the talks as "good."In answering a question about agreeing with Hariri on a presidential candidate, Aoun told reporters "the topic has not been discussed yet."A second round of talks is scheduled for later in the evening, Aoun told his Orange Television.
Amid lack of agreement on a consensus candidate, a session of Lebanon's parliament to elect a new president has been twice postponed and is now scheduled to take place on November 12. The talks between Aoun, a declared candidate for the post supported by the pro-Syrian opposition, and Hariri, who leads the Western-backed parliamentary majority, was held at a secret location in the French capital.
Fears are running high in Beirut that the standoff between the pro- and anti-Syrian camps could lead to two rival governments, a grim reminder of the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war when two administrations battled it out. Hariri arrived in Paris late Tuesday after winding up talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Husni Mubarak that aimed at facilitating the election of a new president for Lebanon. Aoun arrived in Paris earlier on Tuesday. He was accompanied by MP Ghassan Mkhaiber of the Reform and Change Bloc.
Hariri said his talks with Mubarak focused on the presidential vote and "the interference of certain states to prevent the holding of these elections."
Hariri said Mubarak stressed that meddling in Lebanese issues particularly that of the presidential election, is "forbidden."
"Any meddling in this regard, be it in the presidential election or manipulation of Lebanon's stability, is considered a violation of Egypt's security and interference in Arab affairs," Hariri quoted Mubarak as telling him. In Cairo, Hariri also held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials. Discussions focused on the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. He also briefly met with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it cannot confirm Hariri's claims that Syria plotted to assassinate him and Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.
"Without commenting on the specifics on those allegations, it's clear that there is a pattern of threat, intimidation and use of violence against those who are trying to further the process of political reform in Lebanon," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
U.S. and French officials plan to hold a strategy session to help Lebanon's beleaguered government ahead of the election.
Assistant Secretary of State David Welch on Wednesday will meet in Paris with French envoy Jean-Claude Cousseran as well as officials from the French president's office. The two sides will "emphasize our strong view that the next president must be chosen in accordance with the Constitution and repeat our strong view that this process needs to happen free of foreign interference," a State Department official said Tuesday. Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 09:32

Jordan-Germany Call for Lebanon "National Reconciliation"
Jordan and Germany called on Wednesday for "national reconciliation" in Lebanon, where a deadlock between pro- and anti-Syrian factions has led to a political crisis.
"The two sides stressed that achieving national reconciliation in Lebanon is a must under the critical circumstances," Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit said after talks with visiting German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung. Rival camps in the Lebanese parliament have so far been unable to agree on a successor to the pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose term runs out on November 24. Fears are running high that the deadlock could lead to two rival governments and a return to the final years of the civil war when two competing administrations battled for control. Amman and Berlin "call on all Lebanese powers to set their country's higher interest as a top priority and overcome their differences," Bakhit, who is also defense minister, said in a statement. Jung arrived on Wednesday in Jordan as part of a Middle East tour, which "underlines the ongoing interest and the stake the German government has been taking in this region," according to the German embassy.
He met in Lebanon with German troops who are leading the naval component of a U.N. peacekeeping force, UNIFIL. The defense minister is due to conclude his trip to Jordan on Thursday after visiting Aqaba and inspecting the German navy frigate Augsburg in the Red Sea port.(AFP) Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 19:57

Army Commander Not a Presidential Candidate
The Lebanese Army Command announced Wednesday that Gen. Michel Sleiman is not a candidate for the presidential office.
A Communiqué said media organizations carry "political stands that intend to implicate the name of Army Commander Gen. Michel Sleiman as a presidential candidate, thus implying that he is the candidate of this party or that.""The Commander of the Army is not a candidate for any post in line with the constitution," the communiqué added. It urged the political factions to keep Gen. Sleiman's name outside the framework of political manipulation. Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 17:40

Mottaki Postpones Beirut Visit
Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has postponed a visit to Lebanon during which he was expected to help break the impasse over the choice of a new president, officials said on Wednesday. "The Iranian embassy has informed us that Mottaki's visit has been postponed," a Lebanese foreign ministry official told Agence France Presse. He did not disclose reasons for the delay or set a new schedule for then visit.
Lebanese officials earlier announced that Mottaki was due to arrive on Thursday ahead of a trip to Turkey to attend a conference on Iraq.
His visit was aimed at finding a way to end the deadlock between the Western-backed ruling coalition and the Hizbullah-led opposition that is backed by regional allies Syria and Iran, they said. Lebanese lawmakers have failed to agree on a consensus candidate to replace incumbent pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose mandate expires next month. Fears are running high that the row could lead to two rival governments and a return to the final years of the civil war when two competing administrations battled for control.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 16:21

Letter from the Hizbullah-led Opposition To Putin
The Hizbullah-led opposition on Wednesday praised Russian President Vladimir Putin's cooperation with Iran that leads to foiling alleged U.S. schemes aimed at controlling the Middle East. Hizbullah politburo member Mahmoud Qmati outlined the stand in a statement to reporters after delivering a letter to Putin at the Russian Embassy in Beirut from the Hizbullah-led coalition of factions backed by Syria and Iran. Qmati, who headed a team representing Hizbullah and its allies, said the delegation "highly values Russia's stands and the Russian-Iranian cooperation that leads to lifting America's hands off the region, especially that Russia supports just causes in the world and the oppressed peoples." Ho spoke of U.S.-Israeli plots that aim at "partitioning the region in addition to spreading chaos and instability."
Such an alleged plot, Qmati said, also aims at setting up U.S. military bases in Lebanon, a charge that has been denied by the Lebanese Government, Army Commander Gen. Michel Sleiman and the U.S. Embassy. Qmati also accused the parliamentary majority of refusing to reach consensus with the Hizbullah-led opposition on a presidential candidate. A Russian diplomat told the delegation that Moscow is exerting efforts to "safeguard security and stability in the region." Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 18:47

Ban for Election of Lebanese President Without Foreign Intervention
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday urged Lebanese leaders to reach consensus on a new president who would enjoy "the broadest possible acceptance," as Lebanon tries to restore domestic stability and full political independence. Ban made the appeal in his latest report on implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended last year's 34-day war between Israel and Hizbullah guerrillas in south Lebanon.
"I call upon all Lebanese leaders to take up their responsibilities in achieving unity and conciliation through a constructive political dialogue enabling the election of a president that would enjoy the broadest acceptance, in accordance with the constitutional rules and in time frame and without foreign interference," he noted.
He said the election "before the end of President (Emile) Lahoud's mandate on November 24 is an important milestone that will pave the way for further normalization of political life in Lebanon, for effective dialogue on issues of national concern." Among the key outstanding issues, he listed the need for achieving a permanent ceasefire with Israel and a long-term solution, the release of abducted Israeli soldiers and Lebanese prisoners, an end to arms smuggling across the Syrian border and to Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace as well as the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border. "A rapid resolution of the grave political crisis that would lead to domestic political stability is a key ingredient for progress regarding some of these files," the U.N. secretary general said.
Lebanese lawmakers have failed to agree on a consensus presidential candidate to replace Lahoud, the pro-Syrian incumbent.
Fears are running high that the row could lead to two rival governments and a return to the final years of the civil war when two competing administrations battled for control. The parliament's pro-Western majority accuses the Hizbullah-led opposition of taking orders from Tehran and Damascus while it is accused by the rival camp of bowing to the United States.
As he did in another report on Lebanon last week, Ban stressed the need to avoid "the looming scenario of two competing administrations or by a constitutional vacuum...as they represent a grave threat to Lebanon's stability, sovereignty and political independence." He renewed his concern about ongoing reports of arms smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border in violation of resolution 1701. He said such violations of the U.N. arms embargo "risk further destabilizing Lebanon and the whole region" and stressed that all regional countries, particularly Syria and Iran -- the main backers of the Hizbullah Shiite movement -- "have a key responsibility in this regard." In this context, he said addressing the issue of disarming Hizbullah as well as all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias "remains critical to the extension of the authority of the government over all its territory." "Hizbullah's maintenance of an infrastructure of arms that remains separate from the state" undermines the Lebanese government's efforts to assert "its exclusive control over the entire territory." Ban also renewed his call on Israel to end its continuing violations of Lebanese airspace and to meet requests from the U.N. mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for detailed data about the exact location, quantity and type of cluster munitions used by Israeli forces during last year's conflict. And he again called on Syria "to take the necessary steps" to delineate its common border with Lebanon in line with Resolution 1701.(AFP) Beirut, 31 Oct 07, 19:37

Arab paper: 'Extremism,' 'violence' to follow Iraq pullout
'Would be taken over by Iran and Syria, which are seeking to dominate' region
Posted: November 1, 2007
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
The editor of a premier pan-Arab daily newspaper is warning with the eventual departure of American forces from Iraq, the vacuum will be filled by Syria and Iran, and "with friends like these, who needs enemies?" The commentary comes from Tariq Alhomayed, editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the Arabic-language newspaper that is printed in 12 cities on four continents and also features an English-language website.
The editorial was highlighted by the Middle East Media Research Institute, which monitors media reports throughout the Middle East.
"In an editorial titled '[The] American Withdrawal and the Second Stage,' … Alhomayed warned of what might happen after the U.S. withdraws its forces from Iraq," MEMRI said. "He argued that Iraq would be taken over by Iran and Syria, which are seeking to dominate the Middle East, and that the result would be the spread of extremism and violence throughout the region."
A significant number of political candidates in the 2008 U.S. presidential race are advocating a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq soon, and some even have indicated deadlines for that to be accomplished.
However, Alhomayed, who also has served as an analyst and commentator for BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya and Al-Hurra, said that's not his idea of a good plan.
"This is the problem with Syria and Iran before it. The intervention of both countries can never be positive. Syria and Iran are two models that are not in accord with the future. Hence, it is from here that the Arab world's problem arises since the two key political players today are Iran and Syria," he wrote.
Both Iran and Syria are "getting ready" for the American departure, he said.
"Iran has, in fact, been present in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. As for Syria, it has been one of the disrupters of the Iraqi project however from afar," he said. "Nevertheless, what is new today is Damascus's endeavor to reorganize the Baathist rather than the Sunni elements as is commonly believed, in order to ensure Syrian influence in Iraq."
He said while Syrian President Bashar Assad, "stated that his country has influence over Lebanon; an influence that he described as positive … we all know that this is not true." The commentary noted Syria wants the Golan Heights without war and wants to win America over "without having to adopt a moderate approach or refrain from interfering in Lebanon or Iraq."
"Damascus, like Iran, is playing the Hamas card, a movement that is affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood…" he continued. "Iran, by imposing fait accompli or reaching an agreement with the United States, wants to dominate the Arab world and to resume exporting the Islamic revolution."
"This is the main problem. America will leave the region and we will find ourselves opening a new chapter that is no better than where we are today. After the devouring of Iraq and Lebanon at the hands of Iran and Syria, the Gulf region will be under the siege of the Islamic revolution and under pressure from Syrian meddling," he said.
"We do not know where this will all end. Therefore, in light of the American exit and the lack of Arab activity, the region will witness its second stage of downfall; however, this time, it will be in the hands of Tehran and Damascus," he said.
In its own editorial, the International Herald Tribune said U.S. voters are becoming increasingly convinced it is time for a troop withdrawal, forcing them then to focus their attention on the "likely consequences" in the region. "Washington's presence in Iraq will gradually diminish over the next five years, leaving in place a weak, decentralized system of warlords with some foreign supporter," the IHT said. "The central government appears certain to weaken over time, but the proposal of a new al-Qaida haven arising in the Sunni triangle is not the most significant threat that would emerge from a post-U.S. Iraq. Rather, it is the galvanizing effect that a U.S. troop pullout would have on Islamist radicals in the Maghreb, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and beyond."
According to a Reuters report, Iranian officials already have offered to help the United States develop a plan to remove its troops from Iraq, in the interests of a "stable Iraq."
Within the United States, the National Council of Churches, with the support of an organization named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a Texas terror case and another lobbying for multiple sexual partners, has held a day of prayer and fasting in support of an immediate end to the war in Iraq.
Stan Hastey, of the Alliance of Baptists, condemns U.S. involvement in Iraq as "unjust and seemingly unending"
"When you are fasting for Ramadan, you are enhancing your sense of compassion," said Sayyid Syeed from the Islamic Society of North America, one of the organizations working on the project. "We will be asking mosques to open their doors to people of other faiths around the world on October 8 for prayer and dialogue." The plans were announced by the National Council of Churches, which noted that among the other supporters is the Council on Islamic American Relations, which was cited by federal prosecutors in Texas who were working on the trial of the Islamic charity Holy Land Foundation.
The NCC announcement noted that leaders of faiths "representing tens of millions of faithful Americans" are participating in the "day of fasting and prayer to end the Iraq war."
The organizers said the biblical revelation "from beginning to end" is a revelation of peace. Stan Hastey, of the Alliance of Baptists, said the NCC has opposed the war from the beginning and the U.S. involvement is "unjust and seemingly unending. Other groups in support of the event include the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Church of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, Jews Against the War, Network of Spiritual Progressives and Religions for Peace USA. Also participating in the promotion was Rabbi Debra Kolodny of the Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal and author of "Blessed Bi Spirit: Bisexual People of Faith." Kolodny, who is a proponent of "polyamory," or multiple sexual partners, led participants by saying "today we will activate our senses…"

No Longer What They Proclaim To Be
Incompetance and iniquitous incarnate
commonconservative.com
Editor's Note: Thomas's commentary is in blue and Marcie's is in purple.
Since 1945 the United Nations was supposed to have served as an international organization devoted to peace and human rights. Their stated aims, in fact, are to maintain international peace and security, to safeguard human rights, to provide a mechanism for international law, and to promote social and economic progress, improve living standards and fight diseases. But as we have seen over the years, especially in the last several years, this is far from the truth with regard to this organization. We have seen corruption in their ranks, deceit at the highest levels, and a blatant attempt -- time and again -- to cover up for the world's worst thugs and dictators. This is an organization that goes beyond being merely inept. It has delved into the criminal side of that which it was specifically supposed to protect the world from.
Exhibit A -- Iraq
In 1991 Iraq lost the first Gulf War to a coalition of nations, led by America, operating under a United Nations mandate. The order was simple -- remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. That task was completed, and then-President Hussein agreed to terms of surrender; terms that he hardly abided by. Additionally, sanctions were levied against Iraq, which did more to hurt the people of Iraq rather than its thuggish leader. In an appeal to alleviate their suffering, the United Nations was asked if Iraq could sell their oil to a few choice countries. It was agreed upon, and the UN Oil-For-Food program was initiated. But as we discovered before and after the 2003 invasion, Saddam was not funneling those funds to his people. Those funds went to reconstitute his military, to build more effigies in his name, and it went to kickbacks for those in the program -- overseen exclusively by the UN -- to keep officials quiet. In the end, three people involved with the program have been indicted, and the United States Senate estimates that over $20 billion went unaccounted for in bribes and kickbacks. And this all occurred under the "watchful" eye of the United Nations. Though three people face severe criminal charges for their involvement in the bribery and kickbacks of the program, many -- like former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his son Kojo -- have escaped the prosecution they so rightly deserve.
Exhibit B -- North Korea
Many think that only their nuclear program falls under UN scrutiny. Not so. The UN was aware of, and covered up Kim Jong-Il's counterfeiting operations. National Review contributor Claudi Rosett blew the lid off of this scandal in January of this year when she revealed that the UN was receiving these counterfeit notes as payment from North Korea and that they held stacks of counterfeit US $100 bills in a safe in their office in Pyongyang. It has since been discovered that the UN is complicit in "laundering" this cash through outside banks. Additionally, the North Koreans received cover, albeit reluctantly, from the IAEA when after the most recent set of inspections (prior to the newest agreement between the US and North Korea) that Kim Jong-Il was still working on his nuclear weapons program, despite overtures from the UN Security Council to cease and desist all such operations. These demands from the Security Council came both before and after their successful nuclear test, and the Security Council has continually refused to do little to encourage the end of this program aside from offering up "sternly worded letters" of condemnation. In fact, the last set of sanctions slapped on North Korea were refused by china; they blatantly stated they would not abide by them, and continued to funnel aid to Kim Jong-Il. It was through the diplomatic efforts of the US State Department that has led Kim to realize that he must end this program if he and his nation are to survive. Otherwise he would face a continuing famine, and the looming threat of a coup from his own military; something that has occurred twice before in the last decade or so.
Exhibit C -- Syria
It was bad enough that in 2006 the best the UN could muster during the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict was a condemnation of Israel for their actions against the terror group, and that was after Hezbollah kidnapped an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid from Lebanon. But on September 6, 2007, Israel launched an airstrike on a suspected Syrian nuclear site. For the better part of the month, Israel and US intelligence officials agreed the site housed some nuclear components. North Korea, which was involved with Syria in the operation, condemned Israel, as did Iran. Syrian officials initially denied the site housed nuclear materials. But on October 17th it was revealed that a Syrian official -- one high in the government hierarchy -- admitted the site did indeed house nuclear materials. How did the UN react? They redacted the admission from their official report, and changed the wording so as to cover-up the Syrian official's admission. As we stated in a previous column, this is indeed a serious problem in the region. We do not know whether Syria was working with Iran to gain this material, or whether Syria was pursuing the WMD technology on their own for their own purposes, but this is a nightmare the region does not need. The UN, however, does not recognize the dangers of allowing a regime like Syria gaining such technology, given their association with Hezbollah; a terror group that would shed few tears of a team of their martyrs smuggled such a weapon onto Israeli soil, and detonated it. Furthermore, the UN seems unwilling to try and contain such technology in an attempt to prevent an arms race in a region known to be fairly unstable, and prone to outbursts of violence.
Exhibit D -- Iran
This is the one that really galls us right now. Intelligence officials worldwide agree that Iran is rapidly pursuing nuclear weapons despite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's half-baked promises to the contrary. Two thousand-plus centrifuges are online, the Iranians are continually upgrading their medium-and-long-range missile forces, and construction has begun on yet another nuclear reactor in the Islamic Republic with the welcomed assistance of Russia. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has promised that he will deal with Israel, Western Europe, and eventually the United States (the sort of "dealing" that can only lead to a military conflict), and yet the UN can only bring itself to issue warnings and condemnations against him. IAEA inspectors were allowed to tour one facility just a couple of short months ago. That was the Natanz site, which is being shut down in favor of the Arak site currently under construction with the help of Russian engineers. As the UN dawdles, it buys more time for the Iranians to complete the work on their program. Intelligence officials estimate that they could have a working nuclear warhead in as short as eighteen months, or as long as ten years. Know what that means? It means that no one, aside from the Iranians, really knows how close they are. But a nuclear armed Iran will do little for world peace, and it is likely that they will use these weapons for blackmail purposes. What is the UN doing to curb this madman's goal? Contacting their secretaries to draft yet another useless letter rather than executing the toughest sanctions possible, and warning the Islamic Republic that a military option could be used to end their pursuit of such weapons.
Exhibit E -- UN Peacekeeping Missions
Supposedly these people are sent to nations in dire need of security when the populace is victimized by war and dictators. The problem is that they do not necessarily do that. After the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict in 2006, UN peacekeeping forces were dispatched to Lebanon to serve as a buffer between the two, but they have done nothing to curtail the continuing Katyusha rocket attacks from Hezbollah into Israel. In fact, those same peacekeepers have been threatened by Hezbollah that if they interfere, Hezbollah will turn on them. So the peacekeeping forces sit there twiddling their thumbs, and watching as Hezbollah continues their attacks unabated. Additionally, peacekeeping forces in Congo, Haiti, Liberia, and Sudan have been implicated in a number of sexual abuse scandals surrounding children in those countries. In the Congo, the young girls (the youngest one recorded being nine years old) were "targeted" by peacekeepers, and basically were turned into prostitutes. They even gave them the nickname of "Kofi's Dollar Girls," and would have sex with the peacekeepers for money to help feed their starving families. At times the peacekeepers would not even pay, but rather they chose to rape them. These men represent the United Nations, and this is how they treat those they are sent to protect. So much for "safeguarding human rights."
As we can see, the United Nations doesn't believe in it's mission any longer. The case could be made in it's early years that it did take it's mission seriously, and worked within it's own guidelines to foster peace and cooperation around the world. No more. The UN has become corrupt, from the top down, and serves only it's own interests now. They do little, if anything, to stop genocide around the world. (They denied genocide happened in Rwanda, and still deny genocide is happening in Darfur, Sudan.) In Mogadishu, Somalia, they refused to allow the US military to intervene when UN aid workers fell under the fire of Mohammed Farah Aidid's guerillas. They openly condemn and threaten sanctions against Israel almost every time the nation defends itself against its neighbor's aggression. They condemned the US invasion of Iraq despite the fact we were upholding their resolutions -- seventeen of them that Saddam Hussein flouted over twelve years. And they continue to cover-up for thugs and dictators around the world, hoping no one will notice it. In a post-World War II world, an organization like the United Nations had it's place. But in a 21st Century world, it does little to abide by it's aforementioned mission. It serves it's own self-interests, and many agree the their interests now do little, if anything, to serve the world. They serve a different master whose only goal appears to be power and chaos, not peace and cooperation.
He is a scholar of history, especially American history, and the United States Constitution. She has finished her undergrad studies, graduating with a BA in English and history and will move onto law school this fall where she will specialize in Constitutional Law. Together, Thomas and Marcie form the vanguard of conservative opinion at Hamilton, Madison, and Jay -- a blogging site devoted to advancing the conservative cause by challenging the liberal lies and deceit spread by the media, and espoused by the Left in general. Both are expert debaters, and have beaten many liberals into submission with their collective wit, and unmatched knowledge. The pair is married, and resides in Arizona
http://www.commonconservative.com/clark-packard/clark-packard110107.shtml